This Lords Library briefing examines the recent global climate change agreement reached in Paris.
Paris Climate Change Conference 2015 (82KB PDF)
On 12 December 2015, a global climate deal was agreed by 195 countries at the United Nations climate change conference held in Paris. Known as the ‘Paris Agreement’, the deal aims to limit the long-term rise in global temperatures to 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, and also contained an aspiration to further limit the rise in global temperatures to 1.5 degrees Celsius. In order to achieve these long-term temperature goals, the Paris Agreement calls on countries to “reach global peaking of greenhouse gas emissions as soon as possible”, and to achieve a balance between the amount of carbon emitted by human activity and what can be absorbed by the environment between 2050 and 2100.
Paris Climate Change Conference 2015 (82KB PDF)
The Nature’s Rights Bill [HL] is a private member’s bill sponsored by Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle (Green Party). The bill would recognise nature as a legal subject, granting it specific rights for protection and restoration. The bill would set out a legal framework for how this would operate, including an integrated rights framework and mechanisms for how nature’s rights would be implemented and enforced.
![Nature’s Rights Bill [HL]: HL Bill 7 of 2026–27](https://lordslibrary-parliament.studio24.dev/content/uploads/sites/2/2020/09/Environment-568x426.png)
Rural areas contribute a significant proportion of England’s economic output. The government has announced several policies intended to support growth in the rural economy, including farming. However, it has faced criticism for the delay in outlining its overall strategy for the agricultural sector. This briefing provides data on the rural economy and summarises government policy and stakeholder reaction
In recent years, electricity prices for both households and businesses have seen significant increases. This briefing sets out how electricity bills are calculated, how much on average they cost and how they compare internationally. It also provides commentary on why prices have been so high and gives an overview of government policy in this area.
